Do you ever feel like your Facebook posts are just going unnoticed? You post something that you think is really interesting, yet practically no one comments or likes it at all. The reason is probably because you have a low Edge Rank score, which means very few people in your network actually even saw your post.
Edge rank is it the algorithm Facebook uses to determine what items will populate people’s newsfeeds. It places a value on posts, and it is what determines potentially how many people will see the post and engage with it. As your edge rank increases, your page’s visibility will increase and your fan base will naturally grow. Understanding the algorithm is the first step to taking full advantage of your potential reach.
The equation for EdgeRank is illustrated above. As you can see, there are three factors including affinity, weight and time. Affinity is the relationship between the viewing user and the edge creator. Weight is dependent on what type of post it is (text, photos, video, etc), and how much engagement it’s getting. Facebook seems to value rich media content like photos and videos. Comments and likes increase its weight, with comments weighing it a little heavier. Also, tagging the photo with people and location may help to increase its weight. The third factor is time. With this factor, newer is better.
Now that you understand what EdgeRank is, here are a few tips to increase your EdgeRank:
Post on Optimal days
The best days of the week to post is going to vary based on what type of business you are. If you are an internet marketing company, then your best days are going to be on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. However, if you manage a social media page for a bar, your best days might be on Friday and Saturdays. Use Facebook insights to determine when your fans are most responsive to your posts.
Post at optimal times
Data shows that the best times to post on average for all brands is between 1:00PM and 3:00PM EST. This is based on the fact that this is when people are most active on Facebook. However, it’s still strongly suggested that you analyze your own insights to determine your most optimal times. Your brands demographic may be more active on Facebook in the morning, and you could miss out on this if most of your posts are later in the afternoon.
Post consistently
Posting at least once a day is a good rule of thumb, especially when your brand is new to Facebook. When you grow your fan base, you’ll be able to increase that number. However, you don’t want to post too often and annoy your fans. On the other hand, don’t post 4 times one week, then not post anything for 2 weeks straight. You need to be consistent so your fans know what to look forward to, and so you can ultimately spark that interaction.
Post relevant content
Make sure the content you are posting is relevant to your brand. Blog posts and industry related news articles are a great place to start. Make sure to limit the number of posts with links to your own site or products, especially if you are an e-commerce site. If fans think that you are just on Facebook to push products, they will become less interested in your page. Also remember that Facebook seems to favor rich media, so including photos and videos in your posts regularly can help as well.
Build a community
To get your fans to interact with your posts regularly, you have to make them feel like they are a part of something. Asking them to share, giving shout-outs on their accomplishments or having contests that incentivize them to interact are all great strategies. One brand that is doing a great job with this is Scuba Diver Life. They consistently post fan questions such as “What is the best diving resort in Puerto Rico?” and ask other fans to answer. So the fan asking gets multiple opinions, and the community gets to share their thoughts, discuss, and compare. This has increased their edge rank dramatically, allowing more and more fans to interact and give advice.
Encourage a Response
It’s as simple as that. You need to craft posts that encourage a response. Ask questions, and don’t be afraid to directly ask fans to “like” your post once in awhile.
Overall, EdgeRank isn’t all that complicated. Focus on your insights, follow these steps, and you’ll be on your way to a higher score and increased reach.